Music - Performance (Music) MA

Course details

The MA in Performance (Music) is an exciting programme that provides inclusive access to a thorough grounding in music performance skills across a uniquely perse range of music genres and styles, including popular music, Irish traditional music, world musics, jazz, new and experimental music and western classical music.

Students develop their instrumental/vocal skills in their chosen genre(s) through participation in a series of master classes delivered by external professional musicians chosen to match students’ instrumental/vocal specialisms. In addition to this unique opportunity to develop inpidual, genre-specific performance skills, students’ have the opportunity to explore an inclusive range of music genres and develop their understanding of cross-cultural performance practices in music through a series of workshops led by accomplished expert performers.

Students also have an opportunity to develop their creativity in the context of collaborative music making through participation in a exceptionally wide range of music ensembles, including gamelan, Irish traditional music, popular music, early music, and many other ensembles. In addition, students have the opportunity to develop their music composition skills, transferrable research skills and their ability to integrate academic and practical work.

Course Details

The MA in Performance (Music) is an intensive postgraduate course focused on the performance of music.

Modules taught include:

Performance Studies: In this module students explore the performance of music in social and cultural contexts. Students will consider a wide range of concepts and issues related to music performance, including: the multiple ways in which music performance is presented and consumed; the relationship between performers and their audiences; the concept of music performance as ritual; and the role of performance in the shaping of inpidual and collective identities.

Performance Workshop: This module is co-taught by a team of specialists and covers a cross-cultural range of music genres. A range of teaching and learning methodologies are employed, including practical engagement with music making, through which students learn about perse music practices, repertories and performance contexts.

Research Skills for Musicians: In this module students learn a range of research skills relevant to the study of music performance, including: how to listen critically, practice effectively, use the library, find online sources, complete an ethics form, use Sibelius, and present ideas publicly.

Performance Project: After two semesters of coursework, students completing the MA prepare and submit a Performance Project which includes a major recital/performance. As part of this module each student participates in a series of masterclasses presented by leading professional musicians who specialise in the student’s area of music performance. Students opting for a Postgraduate Diploma do not complete the Performance Project.

Students also choose one of the following modules:

Performance Practice: Through practical engagement with a range of music genres and repertories, students will develop skills in musical performance, improvisation and creativity.

Praxis 1 or Praxis 2: An exploration of selected compositional techniques (including some which employ music technology) and practical considerations which impact on the successful performance of compositions. Methodologies include analysis of pre-existing works, composition of exercises, study of technical writings and the application of computer-based technologies, orchestration, advanced instrumental techniques, interactive electronics, notation and rehearsal techniques.

Agora: Opportunities to perform, hear, discuss and critique works composed by students and others, and to explore performance, composition and other related issues.

Programme Requirements

Students take 90 credits as follows:

Part I

• MU6003 Performance Studies (15 credits)
• MU6025 Research Skills for Musicians (15 credits)
• MU6026 Performance Workshop (15 credits)

and 15 credits from the following:

• MU6004 Performance Practice (15 credits)
• MU6021 Praxis 1 (15 credits)
• MU6022 Praxis 2 (15 credits)
• MU6023 Agora (15 credits)

Part II

• MU6027 Performance Project (30 credits)

Part-Time Option

Students registering part-time will complete 45 credits of taught modules in Year 1 and 15 credits of taught modules and the Performance Project (30 credits) in Year 2.

Postgraduate Diploma in Performance (Music)

Candidates who pass Part I but who fail, or fail to submit, the performance project, may be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance (Music).

Course Practicalities

The programme may be taken fulltime (over one year) or part-time (over two years). The workload is typical of a one-year taught MA programme with contact hours distributed across workshops, masterclasses, seminars, instrumental/vocal tuition, ensemble classes, and Performance Project supervision. Students also spend much addditional time engaged in rehearsals, practise, research, devising their Performance Project and, in some cases, music composition.

The part-time programme runs for 24 months from the date of first registration for the programme, taking 45 credits of taught modules in Year 1 and 15 credits of taught modules and the Performance Project (30 credits) in Year 2.

Assessment

The majority of assessment is based on music performance. Assessment is also based on written materials and presentations.